Recent Posts

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 797 other subscribers

Email Address

Stop the spam already!

June 6, 2014

Stop the spam already!

SPAM… unwanted junk email. I thought it might be an acronym for something techie, so I Googled it. It’s not an acronym.

The canned “meat” SPAM was invented during the Great Depression when meat was too expensive for every day. The “meat” SPAM is an acronym. Some say it comes from SPiced hAM. Others say it’s based on ingredients: Shoulder of Pork And Ham (basically the unwanted parts).

Regardless, e-mail spam is not an acronym and it’s also not canned meat, though much of it is canned (in the informal derogatory way of prerecorded music, laughter, or applause, considered to be lacking in freshness and spontaneity).

The word for junk email “spam” was coined based on early geek culture (yes, geek—not Greek) that was centered on movies such as Monty Python, Star Trek and Lord of the Rings. In particular, the name for e-mail spam was inspired by a Monty Python skit (watch it HERE) in which the characters go to a diner for breakfast and find everything on the menu is uses SPAM (the “meat”) as a main ingredient, which infuriates one of the customers who hates SPAM.

And thus spam e-mail has invaded our lives and inboxes. The unwanted, annoying, canned e-mail that is grasping for our attention but never receives it.

Have you ever felt like spam? I have. It’s a dreadful feeling and it’s based on a lie from hell that tries to convince us no one loves us.

1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Not everyone will understand you or accept you. Not everyone will take the time to get to know you. Not everyone will like your personality.

But someone will. Just keep walking and being you, one day you’ll find people who do get you, understand and accept you.

It starts with you, right here right now, accepting yourself for who you are with all of your glorious talents and abilities and all of your mistakes and imperfections. Be you. God loves you; He made you.

You are not spam. You have a purpose and calling from God. Love Him, worship Him and put your trust in Him.

Rachael Hartman is a Christian author and publisher. She has worked as a full-time newspaper reporter, and as a freelance contributor to magazines. She writes high school Sunday school material for Word Aflame Press creating lessons for Project 7 (P7) student-led Bible Clubs, and Link247. She enjoys health and exercise, reading, art, and playing with her two dogs Darla and Danny. She owns Our Written Lives of Hope bookstore & publishing services. Check out her web site at www.owlofhope.com and link to her on Facebook.